NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. – Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH) and the New Brunswick Affiliated Hospitals (NBAH) Blood Center urge eligible individuals to donate blood during a special drive on Thursday, Sept. 8, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., in the Arline and Henry Schwartzman Courtyard (located at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, 1 Robert Wood Johnson Place).

The drive is being held in remembrance of the 10th anniversary of 9/11.

According to the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, blood donations are in need. An estimated 60 percent of New Jersey residents are eligible to donate blood, but only 3.6 percent donate on a regular basis. Recent blood drives were canceled because of Hurricane Irene, limiting the blood supply for hospitals and other health care facilities. The state is encouraging new and past donors to give blood.

To become a donor, you must be at least 17 years of age, in general good health and weigh at least 110 pounds. Most prescription medications are acceptable, but call ahead before donation to qualify any medications you currently are taking.

When donating blood, please bring signature or photo identification. Eat your regular meal before donating and be sure to stay well hydrated.

Refreshments will be provided and all donors will receive a commemorative pin and t-shirt.

About Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital

Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH) is a 965-bed academic medical center with campuses in New Brunswick and Somerville, NJ. Its Centers of Excellence include cardiovascular care from minimally invasive heart surgery to transplantation, cancer care, stroke care, neuroscience, joint replacement, and women’s and children’s care including The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (www.bmsch.org).

As the flagship Cancer Hospital of Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey and the principal teaching hospital of Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Brunswick, RWJUH is an innovative leader in advancing state-of-the-art care. A Level 1 Trauma Center and the first Pediatric Trauma Center in the state, RWJUH’s New Brunswick campus serves as a national resource in its ground-breaking approaches to emergency preparedness.

RWJUH has been ranked among the best hospitals in America by U.S. News & World Report seven times and has been selected by the publication as a high performing hospital in numerous specialties. The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital has been ranked among the best hospitals in America by U.S. News & World Report three times. In addition, RWJUH was named among the best places to work in health care by Modern Healthcare magazine and received the Equity Care of Award as Top Hospital for Healthcare Diversity and Inclusion from the American Hospital Association.

Both the New Brunswick and Somerset campuses have earned significant national recognition for clinical quality and patient safety, including the prestigious Magnet® Award for Nursing Excellence and “Most Wired” designation by Hospitals and Health Networks Magazine. The Joint Commission and the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services have designated the New Brunswick Campus as a Comprehensive Stroke Center and the Somerset Campus as a Primary Stroke Center.

The American College of Surgeons’ Commission on Cancer has rated RWJUH New Brunswick among the nation’s best comprehensive cancer centers and designated the Steeplechase Cancer Center at RWJ Somerset as a Comprehensive Community Cancer Center. The Joint Surgery Center at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset has earned the Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval for total knee and total hip replacement surgery.